diff --git a/invokeai/app/util/video_thumbnails.py b/invokeai/app/util/video_thumbnails.py
index 01416dcc311..678e0847373 100644
--- a/invokeai/app/util/video_thumbnails.py
+++ b/invokeai/app/util/video_thumbnails.py
@@ -224,8 +224,15 @@ def _iter_video_frames_unbounded(
     video_path: Path,
     timeout: float = VIDEO_DECODE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
     is_canceled: Optional[Callable[[], bool]] = None,
+    first_frame_timeout: Optional[float] = None,
 ) -> Iterator[np.ndarray]:
-    """Streams decoded frames from an isolated worker with bounded memory and wait time."""
+    """Streams decoded frames from an isolated worker with bounded memory and wait time.
+
+    ``timeout`` bounds decoder *inactivity*: it is restarted after every frame, so a long
+    video is not killed for being long. ``first_frame_timeout`` overrides that budget for
+    the first frame only, letting a caller that already spent part of the budget waiting
+    for capacity charge that wait against the same deadline instead of granting a fresh one.
+    """
     proc = _spawn_worker(
         "stream",
         str(video_path),
@@ -286,7 +293,7 @@ def read_frames() -> None:
     stderr_reader = threading.Thread(target=drain_stderr, name="video-stderr-reader", daemon=True)
     reader.start()
     stderr_reader.start()
-    deadline = time.monotonic() + timeout
+    deadline = time.monotonic() + (timeout if first_frame_timeout is None else first_frame_timeout)
     try:
         while True:
             if is_canceled is not None and is_canceled():
@@ -349,7 +356,18 @@ def iter_video_frames(
                 if slot.acquire(timeout=min(0.1, remaining)):
                     acquired.append(slot)
                     break
-        yield from _iter_video_frames_unbounded(video_path, timeout, is_canceled)
+        # Charge the capacity wait against the same deadline as the first frame, the way
+        # _run_worker does. Handing the decoder a fresh full timeout here would let a
+        # caller that waited just under `timeout` for a slot block for nearly 2 * timeout
+        # before failing — twice the bound the callers (upload probing, node decodes)
+        # believe they are enforcing. Later frames still get a full `timeout` each: after
+        # the first frame the budget is an inactivity bound, not a queueing one.
+        yield from _iter_video_frames_unbounded(
+            video_path,
+            timeout,
+            is_canceled,
+            first_frame_timeout=max(0.0, capacity_deadline - time.monotonic()),
+        )
     finally:
         for slot in reversed(acquired):
             slot.release()
diff --git a/tests/app/util/test_video_thumbnails.py b/tests/app/util/test_video_thumbnails.py
index 494a36fd4ac..a8fb7272770 100644
--- a/tests/app/util/test_video_thumbnails.py
+++ b/tests/app/util/test_video_thumbnails.py
@@ -279,6 +279,56 @@ def consume() -> None:
         assert len(errors) == 1
         assert isinstance(errors[0], TimeoutError)
 
+    def test_capacity_wait_and_first_frame_share_one_deadline(self, hanging_worker, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+        """Waiting for capacity and waiting for the first frame draw on ONE budget.
+
+        Each used to get a full ``timeout``: a caller that waited nearly the whole budget
+        for a stream slot then got a fresh full budget on the hung decoder, so the call
+        could take ~2x the bound it advertised. Later frames still get a full timeout
+        each — after the first frame the budget is an inactivity bound, not a queueing one.
+        """
+        target = tmp_path / "malicious.mp4"
+        target.write_bytes(b"pretend this hangs the decoder")
+        timeout = 2.0
+        # Occupy the single stream slot for most (but not all) of the budget, so the
+        # decode still starts and the two waits are distinguishable in the total.
+        hold = 1.6
+        errors: list[BaseException] = []
+        finished = Event()
+        assert video_thumbnails._VIDEO_STREAM_SLOTS.acquire(timeout=1)
+        released = False
+
+        def consume() -> None:
+            try:
+                next(iter_video_frames(target, timeout=timeout))
+            except BaseException as error:
+                errors.append(error)
+            finally:
+                finished.set()
+
+        started = time.monotonic()
+        thread = threading.Thread(target=consume)
+        thread.start()
+        try:
+            time.sleep(hold)
+            video_thumbnails._VIDEO_STREAM_SLOTS.release()
+            released = True
+            assert finished.wait(timeout=10), "decoder never gave up"
+        finally:
+            if not released:
+                video_thumbnails._VIDEO_STREAM_SLOTS.release()
+            thread.join(timeout=10)
+        elapsed = time.monotonic() - started
+
+        assert len(errors) == 1
+        # "Timed out decoding" (not "Timed out waiting to decode") — the slot was acquired
+        # and the worker was spawned, so this is the first-frame wait expiring.
+        assert isinstance(errors[0], TimeoutError)
+        assert "Timed out decoding" in str(errors[0])
+        # Midway between the fixed behavior (~timeout) and the old one (hold + timeout),
+        # leaving room for worker-spawn and scheduling jitter on CI.
+        assert elapsed < timeout + hold / 2, f"first frame got a fresh timeout after the capacity wait ({elapsed:.2f}s)"
+
     def test_probe_timeout_includes_waiting_for_decoder_capacity(self, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
         target = tmp_path / "never-opened.mp4"
         errors: list[BaseException] = []